With just 2 games to go in our season, odds are, we will clearly miss the playoffs by a hair.. YET AGAIN. Tanking would be really bad for a franchise and it's fans but the reward can be worth it. It's the temptation of trying to stay competitive every year is what's killing us. Missing the playoffs and getting a mid round pick. That's the worst thing in the NBA.
I don't know. This is a pretty difficult question. One that has not been discussed by anyone here before in any thread.
If the Rocket would've tanked when Yao got injured and Ron left, the tanking would probably be done by now. Each year fans complain that they can't watch a team tank, but if the Rockets just did it already, it would be over soon. This was the perfect year to tank, too.
You are thinking too hard. Either way this team has been mediocre for last couple of years and will be for the near future. Nothing the management/owner has done says otherwise. Dont believe me? Just ask the Rockets players what their schedule looks like by May of each year.
16 teams make the playoffs in the NBA, if you miss out, even by a hair, then you really never deserved to be there in the first place.. its ridiculous that 16 teams makes the playoffs anyway, every year there are about 4-5 teams that clearly dont belong in the postseason..
Inspite of all the heartbreaks, why am i still a Rocket fan? I'm not even from Houston, bu the way. I just loved this franchise ever since. Never rooted for another team in the NBA. Maybe i just have a knack of torturing myself. One thing is for sure though, even if we continue to suck for another decade, i'd still be a true die hard Rocket fan. You hear that, Les? Morey? Anyone?
Playoffs entry don't mean ****. Half of the league gets into playoffs. People who like half assed feel good spiritual victories doesn't remember how a real competitive team can close, blow out and win games anymore. They're a generation removed from any of that so it's understandable they just don't get it.
Oklahoma City has really spoiled people. 2 years worth of tanking and it's over? If it were that easy, everyone would be done already.
I think as people on the board have previously pointed out, the only way the team is going to be able to contend is if the team has a superstar or maybe even multiple superstars to build upon. The easiest ways to achieve that is either through the FA or the draft. Seeing as how the league's top talents are all grouping together to form super teams, the Rockets are sort of in a tough position as far as building a contending team is concerned. Why go after a Pau Gasol, Andre Igoudala, or a Danny Granger-caliber player whom are presumably at their peaks (or on the decline) when realistically speaking, the team won't be able to touch the likes of the Heat, Bulls, and the Thunder for at least the next 3-5 years. It's time to build from the ground up and the only way to do so is to get top-shelf talent through the draft. Sacrificing one season is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. Besides, has anyone been to a Rockets game lately? It's practically half-empty every game. If you aren't going to win any ball games, you might as well sell some tickets. The team needs a true blue-chipper out there, if not to win some ball games, it'll at least put some fans in the seats.
I pose this to all the anti-rebuilders. Look at the top teams right now. Look at their star players. Were they drafted by the team they are on? This is not some "OKC' thing, building teams around players you draft has been a pretty good strategy for building contending type of teams.
There was some luck involved there too. They could have been stuck with Oden if Portland takes Durant, and their team would have had a completely different outlook. They got lucky and struck gold two years in a row. Now Sam Presti is hailed as the greatest gm in the world, when we all know if they had the #1 pick they would have taken Greg Oden instead.
